THE VIETNAM SOLDIER!
- in one mission they were sent to kill as many Indians as possible
- enemy: "charlie" as code
- very hot and steamy weather
- jungle environment
- taking land was not as important then destorying the enemy
- if you are a newby, everyone stays away from you
- success/failure determined by the "kill ratio"
- exposed to enemy fire, booby traps, and large snakes and other animials
- there was high elephant grass
- volunteers: 20-22 years old
- super hot: dehydration
- typical grunt's pack: weighed 35-70 lbs
- platoons consisted of 20-40 privates
- what they do most of the time: chase charlie (enemy)
- Operation: AO
- demilitarized zone: DMZ
- fire: hot LZ
- go out: humping the boonies
- lead the war: point man
- reached an enemy village: suspected of aiding the VC
- set houses on fire: zipped the hooches
- viet cong sniper: from the a spider hole
- leave vietnam: million dollar wound
- states: the world
- 10-20% were african americans: integrated
- AAs made up 20% of the death
- trained in boot camps before
- a commericial jet took them
- N-16 riffle: primary weapon
- most carried machine guns
- explosive devise called claymore shot 700 steal walls and could shred anything from 55 yards away
- built tunnies underground that usually consisted of hospitals and fuel storage tanks
- pythons and rats!
- biggest worry: finding and doing the battle with the enemy
- the enemy would attack suddenly and quickly- they also blended in well with the terrane
- many captured: mainly pilots: sent to prisons with terrible conditions and where they were beaten and isolated